Story highlights

Juror says nine of 12 were for death penalty, but one was firmly against and two others wavered

James Holmes stands expressionless with hands in pockets as sentences read

Jury earlier convicted Holmes of killing 12 people and wounding 70 more in theater shooting

Centennial, Colorado (CNN)James Holmes will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing 12 people and wounding 70 more at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater.

A jury was unable Friday to reach a unanimous sentencing verdict, which results in life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty for Holmes, who had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2012 shootings. He was convicted last month of 24 counts of first-degree murder -- two for each of the slain victims.

The 12-member jury reached a decision after deliberating almost seven hours since late Thursday. As they walked back into the courtroom shortly after 5 p.m. (7 p.m. ET), they made no eye contact with anyone. Some had a grim face. Some were ashen.

Holmes stood with his hands in his pockets as Judge Carlos Samour read the sentencing verdicts.

One female juror later told reporters that there was no way to resolve the disagreement on what the sentence should be.

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"There was one firm holdout against the death penalty and two ... who were on the fence," said the juror, who would not give her name. "I don't know if they could have been swayed or not."

She said the graphic nature of the evidence made the 15-week trial very difficult. She called it a life-changing experience.

Emotional reaction from some

After the judge read on the first count that the jurors couldn't reach the unanimous decision required for the death penalty, Holmes' mother, Arlene, began crying and she put her head on her husband Robert's shoulder. She sagged into him and he held her up.

As the judge read on, several people in the area where family members and survivors had been sitting heeded the judge's prior admonition and left the courtroom instead of reacting emotionally.

Photos:Colorado shooting victims

Photos:Colorado shooting victims

Jonathan T. Blunk, 26, served for five years in the U.S. Navy. He died shielding a friend from the gunfire inside the theater.

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Alexander J. Boik, 18, was remembered by friends and loved ones as a "great person" whose "craziness touched hundreds," according to a Facebook page created in his memory.

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Air Force Staff Sgt. Jesse E. Childress, an Air Force reservist, was a cybersystems operator on active duty. He was 29.

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Gordon W. Cowden, 51, took his two teenage children to the theater. His children escaped unharmed.

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Jessica Ghawi, 24, was an aspiring sports reporter. She grew up in Texas before moving to Denver to try break into the television market there.

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Petty Officer 3rd Class John Thomas Larimer, 27, served in the Navy like his father and grandfather. He had been in the service for about a year.

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Matthew R. McQuinn, 27, died trying to provide cover for his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler, during the shooting, according to a family attorney. Yowler survived.

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Micayla C. Medek, 23, known to her friends as Cayla, was "very spiritual and close to God," cousin Anita Busch told CNN.

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Veronica Moser Sullivan, 6, was the youngest victim of the Aurora theater shooting. She had just learned how to swim.

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Alex M. Sullivan, 27, went to the movie to celebrate his birthday with his wife, two days before their first wedding anniversary.

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Alexander C. Teves, 24, recently graduated from the University of Denver with a master's degree in counseling psychology. He died protecting his girlfriend.

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Rebecca Ann Wingo, 32, joined the Air Force after high school, became fluent in Mandarin and served as a translator, according to CNN affiliate WFAA.

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Ashley Moser, who is paralyzed and lost her 6-year-old daughter during the shooting, sobbed in her wheelchair and shook her head.

The verdicts took 11 minutes to read.

Lonnie Phillips, whose daughter Jessica Ghawi was killed, rubbed his wife Sandy's shoulder as she leaned forward, weeping. By the time the second charge including her daughter's name was read she had composed herself.

Holmes will not go to prison yet. Official sentencing was scheduled for August 24-26.

The same jury earlier convicted 27-year-old Holmes for the capital murder of 12 people.

DA believes he failed

Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler told reporters outside the courthouse that he respects the outcome, even if he disagrees with it.

"As frustrated as I am at not achieving the result we wanted, those jurors did a hell of a job," he said. "I am disappointed at the outcome, I'm not disappointed with the system. I still think death is justice for what that guy did but the system said otherwise."

Brauchler said it was his fault that he couldn't get a death penalty result for the families.

Holmes' parents declined to speak to the media but issued a statement through an attorney.

"The Holmes family is unable to make any comment at this time other than to say that they are deeply sorry this has happened, and they are so sorry that the victims and families have suffered such tremendous loss," Lisa Damiani said in a press statement.

Sandy Phillips wore an emerald green pashmina shawl that belonged to her slain daughter. Phillips said that she and her husband have always said they didn't care whether the killer got life or death.

But "today what was hard for me was accepting (the sentences) for the others" who wanted to see Holmes die, she said.

"We didn't lose loved ones. Our loved ones were ripped from us. And they were slaughtered in that movie theater," she said. "But the jury chose another way and we have to accept that."

Robert Sullivan, grandfather of victim Veronica Moser Sullivan, found it hard to accept the jury's decision.

Jury had rejected insanity defense

The shooting occurred during a midnight showing of a Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," when Holmes burst into the theater through a rear door and opened fire.

Holmes' attorneys argued that their client is mentally ill and suffered a psychotic episode when he colored his hair orange-red, rigged his apartment with explosives, dressed in tactical gear and sprayed bullets into the theater under a cloak of darkness and tear gas.

In closing arguments Thursday, public defender Tamara Brady said the assault was a "tragedy" born of disease, not choice. The deaths cannot be answered by another death, and Holmes would be punished for the remainder of his days under a life sentence, she said.

Prosecutors, however, argued that Holmes should die for his crimes. His mental illness didn't prevent him from acting "rationally" elsewhere in his life, and the defendant must be held accountable for the mass murder, prosecutors said.

For Holmes, justice is his execution, Brauchler told the jury.

Holmes admitted to his crimes and had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

In the shooting, Holmes bought a ticket to see the Batman movie 12 days prior to the assault.

At the time, Holmes reportedly held a "human capital" credo that killing people would add value to his life. "You take away life, and your human capital is limitless," Holmes said in a chat message to his then-girlfriend months before the massacre.

Photos:Colorado movie theater massacre

Photos:Colorado movie theater massacre

The public gets its first glimpse of James Holmes, then 24, the suspect in the Colorado theater shooting during his initial court appearance July 23, 2012. With his hair dyed reddish-orange, Holmes, here with public defender Tamara Brady, showed little emotion. He is accused of opening fire in a movie theater July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colorado, killing 12 people and wounding 70. Holmes faces 166 counts, almost all alleging murder or attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. More photos: Mourning the victims of the Colorado theater massacre

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Police release the official photo from Holmes' booking after the shooting.

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Holmes often had a blank stare during his July 23, 2012, court appearance, seeming to be in a daze.

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Victims and their relatives and journalists watch the proceedings in 2012.

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Flags fly at half-staff on July 23, 2012, at the Arapahoe County Courthouse in Centennial, Colorado, where the movie theater shooting suspect had his first court appearance. The murder counts against Holmes carry a possible death penalty.

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Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers talks to reporters July 23, 2012, before heading into the courthouse. The murder counts against Holmes carry a possible death penalty.

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Family members of the victims arrive at the courthouse July 23, 2012, for the suspect's first court appearance.

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The Century Aurora 16 multiplex in Aurora becomes a place of horror after a gunman opened fire July 20, 2012, in a crowded theater.

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Holmes is accused of opening fire during a midnight screening of the Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises." Holmes purchased four weapons and more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition, police say.

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Police investigate outside the Century 16 multiplex July 21, 2012, a day after the mass shooting.

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Agents search the suspect's car outside the theater.

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Aurora police escort a sand-filled dump truck containing improvised explosive devices removed from Holmes' booby-trapped apartment on July 21, 2012. Authorities have said they believe the suspect rigged his place before leaving for the movie theater.

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Police break a window at the suspect's apartment July 20, 2012, in Aurora.